April 26, 2015

Hey!

Another great week this side of the Mississippi.

This week, we got a call that there was a lady in the Welcome Center, so we run over there and she's just this friendly looking 50~ year old woman, and she smiles and we smiles as we shake her hand...she asks how we are, we ask how she is...

Then she starts telling us about how aliens and evil spirits have stolen her soul and that she was coming to the church to seek replenishment. And talked about the evil spirits stealing you when you are young, and then she looks at me with this big eyes and points straight at my heart and says.... "That's what happened to you. You were stolen as a child and raised in their horrible environment. That's why you have freckles. Yes...you are one of the old ones"

........

Not gonna lie, I liked it better hearing that each freckle was a kiss from an angel. But oh well. So....we started giggling a little bit when she said that....but holding it in...but she noticed that we were laughing and she gets all angsty and points at us again and says "Look, look, have they got you on the laughing powder?" and then even more excitedly "Are you keeping the drugs upstairs? Are you moving the drugs upstairs?"

So needless to say we taught her how to pray and shared a good moment with her. She even invited us to visit her in her home sometime. What a sweetheart.

Since it is Elder Young's last week this week, we have been saying goodbye to many different members and investigators. It is very sad....but it's nice A. That we get to eat so much good food, B. knowing that I'm going to see Elder Young at my homecoming (or else) and C. that when I leave, I already know I'll be coming back to visit everybody. And also God bless Mark Zuckerberg because man can a missionary stay in contact with those he's come to love in his field.

Right now Elder Ly from Layton that I lived with for 14 months is the assistant to President Hawks, and another really close friend, Elder McSweeney, who was Elder Ly's companion when we were all in Macau together, who then was transferred out of Macau and then BACK to Macau to be Elder Ly's companion for another 4 months or so, just got called to be Elder Ly's new companion and assistant to President Hawks. They are an awesome companionship and tear things up together.

I can't remember if I mentioned this last week....but we had a mother and father from Shanghai walk in to the chapel because they saw that "Families can be together forever", and then they brought their whole family to the church the following Sunday. Beautiful. Just beautiful.

When missionaries depart, they have their departure activities which include going up to the Peak with President and Sister Hawks as well as doing a temple session with them. Originally, because Elder Daculug and I are the only two departing missionaries on May 22, President was going to have us simply go with the group departing this week. But since then plans have gotten a bit changed, and Elder Daculug and I will get an evening with President and Sister Hawks all to ourselves in 3 weeks :) woohoo! The best of the best. I can't fully express the adoration I have for President Hawks. He has helped me change my life and who I am in ways I could never ever do alone. I'm so grateful for him.

Well, all in all....life is good. Things are just good. We are working hard, having fun and staying focused. There's always so much more to say, but I guess I can just choreograph it all into a dance and then do that for my homecoming talk. We'll see how things go. I sure love you all and can't wait to hear from you again.

Love, Elder Hafen